best billing software in kerala

1. What is GST Return?

A return is a document containing details of income which a taxpayer is required to file with the tax administrative authorities. This is used by tax authorities to calculate tax liability.

Under GST, a registered dealer has to file GST returns that include:

• Purchases
• Sales
• Output GST (On sales)
• Input tax credit (GST paid on purchases)

To file GST returns, GST compliant sales and purchase invoices are required. You can generate GST compliant invoices for free on ClearTax BillBook.

2. Who should file GST Returns?

In the GST regime, any regular business has to file two monthly returns and one annual return. This amounts to 26 returns in a year.

The beauty of the system is that one has to manually enter details of one monthly return – GSTR-1. The other return GSTR 3B will get auto-populated by deriving information from GSTR-1 filed by you and your vendors.

There are separate returns required to be filed by special cases such as composition dealers.

3. What are the types of GST Returns?

Here is a list of all the returns to be filed as prescribed under the GST Law along with the due dates.

3.1. Any regular business:

As per the CGST Act ( Note : subject to change by Notifications /orders)

Return Form	Particulars	Interval	Due Date
GSTR-1	Details of outward supplies of taxable goods and/or services affected from July 2018 to March 2019 ( Taxpayers whose turnover is more than Rs. 1.5 Crores in previous year)	Monthly*	11th of the next month**
GSTR-2	Details of inward supplies of taxable goods and/or services effected claiming input tax credit.	Monthly*	15th of the next month (Suspended now )
GSTR-3	Monthly return on the basis of finalization of details of outward supplies and inward supplies along with the payment of amount of tax.	Monthly*	20th of the next month
GSTR-9	Annual Return	Annually	31st December of next financial year*
GSTR-3B	Return for the months of up to March 2019	Monthly	20th of the next month

** Details of outward supplies of taxable goods and/or services affected till June 2018 will be 10th of the next month.

** Taxpayers whose turnover was less than Rs. 1.5 Crores in the previous financial year has the option to file a quarterly GSTR-1 by end of the next month affected July 2018 to March 2019.

3.2. A dealer opting for composition scheme :

A composition dealer will enjoy the benefits of lesser returns & compliance along with payment of taxes at nominal rates. A composition dealer will file only 2 returns:

Return Form	Particulars	Interval	Due Date
GSTR-4	Return for compounding taxable person	Quarterly	18th of the month succeeding quarter**
GSTR-9A	Annual Return	Monthly	31st December of next financial year*

3.3. Returns to be filed by certain specific registered dealers:

Return Form	Particulars	Interval	Due Date
GSTR-5	Return for Non-Resident foreign taxable person	Monthly	20th of the next month***
GSTR-5A	Return for Non-resident persons providing OIDAR services	Monthly	20th of the next month***
GSTR-6	Return for Input Service Distributor	Monthly	13th of the next month***
GSTR-7	Return for authorities deducting tax at source.	Monthly	10th of the next month
GSTR-8	Details of supplies effected through e-commerce operator and the amount of tax collected	Monthly	10th of the next month
GSTR-10	Final Return	Once. When registration is cancelled or surrendered	Within three months of the date of cancellation or date of cancellation order, whichever is later.
GSTR-11	Details of inward supplies to be furnished by a person having UIN and claiming refund	Monthly	28th of the month following the month for which statement is filed

Here is a video to understand who should file GST Return and why should it be filed –

Here is a video to understand who should file GST Return and why should it be filed –

4.Due Dates to file GST Returns

Due Dates for filing GST Returns can be extended by issuing Orders or Notifications. Here, we have got for you the list of upcoming GST returns due dates that you must not miss!

GSTR-1

For turnover upto Rs 1.5 cr and who opted Quarterly filing

Period	Due dates
Jan- Mar	30th April 2018
Apr-June 2018	31st July 2018
July-Sept 2018	31st Oct 2018

For turnover of more than Rs 1.5 cr/ For turnover of less than 1.5 cr but opted Monthly filing

Period	Dates
April 2018	31st May 2018
May 2018	10th June 2018
June 2018	10th July 2018
July 2018	10th Aug 2018
Aug 2018	10th Sept 2018
Sept 2018	10th Oct 2018

GSTR-2 and GSTR-3

GSTR-2 and GSTR-3 filing has been suspended.  Know more about what was discussed on Return filing at 27th GST Council Meeting!

GSTR-3B

• GSTR-3B has been extended to March 2019.
• All businesses have to file GSTR-3B by 20th of next month until March 2019.

Due date for the month September 2018 is 20th October 2018.

GSTR-4

Due date  for the quarter July 2018 to September 2018 is 18th October 2018

GSTR-5

Due date for September 2018 is 20th October 2018

GSTR-5A

Due date for September 2018 is 20th October 2018

GSTR-6

Due date of GSTR-6 for the months from July 2017 to August 2018 is extended to 30th September 2018.

5. Late Fees for not Filing Return on Time

If GST Returns are not filed within time, you will be liable to pay interest and a late fee.

Interest is 18% per annum. It has to be calculated by the taxpayer on the amount of outstanding tax to be paid. The time period will be from the next day of filing to the date of payment.

Late fee is Rs. 100 per day per Act. So it is 100 under CGST & 100 under SGST. Total will be Rs. 200/day. Maximum is Rs. 5,000. There is no late fee on IGST.

Best Billing Software Kerala

1. Security

Needless to say, in today’s digital world security is one of the most critical assurances. A secure software will protect confidential business information and avoid any kind of compromise that may pose threat to your business. We have witnessed how the Wannacry virus has recently hit computer systems across the globe and hackers have asked users for payment in bitcoins against retrieval of data. Hence, you need to ensure that the GST software you buy is robust not only in return filing but also from data security point of view as well.

2. Multi-Platform Adaptability

Under the new regime, every business has to be compliant – there is little choice of an alternative. The concept of invoice matching has been introduced which will ensure that every taxable person in the value chain files his/her GST Returns on time. This will directly affect the compliance rating of businesses. Thus, to keep up with these compliance requirements the GST software your purchase should be enabled on multiple platforms and must be accessible from desktop, tablets or mobile phones at any point in time, increasing the ease of online return filing.

3. Flexibility

Many large companies are already using some version of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software to manage their business operations and record or report processes. Even small and medium businesses for that matter have accounting tools for book-keeping. In such an environment, setting up new master data in a new application (GST Software) is not a feasible option. The GST software must be flexible enough to integrate with existing systems and provide a seamless experience. Multiple standalone systems operating in silos will only inflate the operating cost of businesses.

4. Cognizance

Under the GST regime, a normal taxpayer registered in one state will have to file twenty-five returns during a financial period. If we look into the dynamics of today’s businesses, most brands are pan-India or have a global client base. Taking the example of a single online seller who operates all over the country, we see that he may have to file 25*29 (29 states)= 725 returns in a single year. That is an average of almost two returns a day! Well, this is why any GST software that you evaluate must have the intelligence to communicate the user of all possible events coming. This will ensure that no deadline is missed and your business remains up and running!

5. User Interface and Reporting

Having discussed all the features above, one key feature which is universally appreciated is a beautiful user interface. For any typical business person, this ‘beauty‘ means informative dashboards and Informative Reports (MIS). This will enable quick decision making and transparent operations. Real-time information may help you avoid over/under stocking and may save on working capital. Also, for many businesses, an evaluation criterion for new software is the number of clicks to perform a particular task. A good GST software must accommodate such requirements as well and operate on a minimum user interface principle.

 software offers this Advanced Reconciliation Tool that comes with smart features. This tool helps you reconcile your purchase data with GSTR-2A in a 5X speed. This tool assures 100% of the ITC claim, intelligence to auto-identify and match invoices in the purchase data with the GSTR-2A downloaded from GSTN portal.

Features of Advanced Reconciliation tool introduced by  :

1. Download Multi-Month GSTR-2A in one go

2. Intelligent and smart suggestion to link an invoice with the GSTR-2A data

3. Claim maximum ITC

4.  buckets to identify data match, mismatch type –

a. Matched – Shows in this section when purchase invoices uploaded by you and GSTR-2A data downloaded from the GSTN portal matches based on default and suggestions

b. Mismatch In Values – Shows in this section when purchase invoices uploaded by you and GSTR-2A data downloaded from the GSTN portal doesn’t match which is highlighted in red on the software

c. Missing In My Data – Shows in this section when you have not uploaded purchase invoices but data is present on 2A side

GST Billing Software in Kerala

E-filing taxes vs Manual filing of taxes

Tax filing due date is round the corner and many are still looking for answers to their doubts on tax filing. It’s the age of online transactions where we communicate, shop, bank and transact everything online. So why not file taxes online?

There are numerous benefits of filing taxes online as opposed to doing them manually. We bring you a list of reasons that will justify our stand.

Access to the Records

When you file taxes online you generally upload all our documents at one place and hence these are accessible anywhere and anytime.

As opposed to this, when you file taxes manually it is a bit difficult to access the physical records in case of urgency. You may have to dig through all past records at times to file your taxes.

Tracking the status of Return Processing

Online filing comes with the benefit of tracking the status of your return processing. This helps you track whether your return has been received by the ITD, processed and whether your refund is being processed if you have claimed one.

Status of the physically filed returns cannot be tracked online. The communication for manually filed returns happens only in physical form through postal services. Hence you may have to keep waiting to receive your status on whether your return has been processed or not.

Ease of preparation

Once you have e-filed your return, your data is saved on the online portal. Hence filing returns the next time is quick and simplified since the basic data can be auto-populated from old records.

When you file tax returns manually, you may have to fill the bulky return forms manually and a single mistake can lead to huge tax liability.

Reduction in Calculation errors

Due to inbuilt data validation and tax calculation program, the error in tax calculations is nullified.

In physical tax return filing, one has to calculate the income, deductions, and tax figures themselves which may many times result in some or other error.

Quick refund

Online tax filing comes with the benefit of quick and hassle free tax refunds. Refunds get processed faster with online filing of tax returns.

On the other hand, when you manually file your taxes there might be a delay in processing of return and payment of refunds.

Convenience in submission

When the tax filing due date approaches near, people throng tax offices in hundreds. However when you file taxes online you need not wait in long queues in order to file your physical tax return.

Manual tax return filing requires you to wait in long queues in tax offices for submission of return.

Revising for errors

When you e-file your tax returns you can easily review or revise them later. Just change the information concerned and upload the forms again.

Physically filed returns can be revised only by filing another physical form with the Jurisdictional AO. This might be tedious and time consuming.

E-verification

The last step in filing your tax returns is to verify these returns. E- verification of ITR is the most convenient service that saves you a lot of time by taking away the hassle of sending the physical ITR V to CPC Bengaluru.

Issue Gst Aster Billing

Who should issue GST Invoice?

If you are a GST registered business, you need to provide GST-complaint invoices to your clients for sale of good and/or services.

Your GST registered vendors will provide GST-compliant purchase invoices to you.

What are the mandatory fields a GST Invoice should have?

A tax invoice is generally issued to charge the tax and pass on the input tax credit. A GST Invoice must have the following mandatory fields:

1. Invoice number and date
2. Customer name
3. Shipping and billing address
4. Customer and taxpayer’s GSTIN (if registered)**
5. Place of supply
6. HSN code/ SAC code
7. Item details i.e. description, quantity (number), unit (meter, kg etc.), total value
8. Taxable value and discounts
9. Rate and amount of taxes i.e. CGST/ SGST/ IGST
10. Whether GST is payable on reverse charge basis
11. Signature of the supplier

**If the recipient is not registered AND the value is more than Rs. 50,000 then the invoice should carry:

   i. name and address of the recipient,

  ii. address of delivery,

  iii. state name and state code

Impact of GST on Manufacturers, Distributor, and Retailers Aster Billing

GST has brought in ‘one nation one tax’ system, but its effect on various industries is slightly different. The first level of differentiation will come in depending on whether the industry deals with manufacturing, distributing and retailing or is providing a service.

Impact of GST on Manufacturers, Distributor, and Retailers

GST is a boost competitiveness and performance in India’s manufacturing sector. Declining exports and high infrastructure spending are just some of the concerns of this sector. Multiple indirect taxes had also increased the administrative costs for manufacturers and distributors and with GST in place, the compliance burden has eased and this sector will grow more strongly.But due to GST business which was not under the tax bracket previously will now have to register. This will lead to lesser tax evasion.Impact of GST on Service ProvidersAs of March 2014, there were 12, 76,861 service tax assessees in the country out of which only the top 50 paid more than 50% of the tax collected nationwide. Most of the tax burden is borne by domains such as IT services, telecommunication services, the Insurance industry, business support services, Banking and Financial services, etc. These pan-India businesses already work in a unified market and will see compliance burden becoming lesser. But they will have to separately register every place of business in each state.Sector-wise Impact AnalysisLogisticsIn a vast country like India, the logistics sector forms the backbone of the economy. We can fairly assume that a well organized and mature logistics industry has the potential to leapfrog the “Make In India” initiative of the Government of India to its desired position.E-commerceThe e-commerce sector in India has been growing by leaps and bounds. In many ways, GST will help the e-com sector’s continued growth but the long-term effects will be particularly interesting because the GST law specifically proposes a Tax Collection at Source (TCS) mechanism, which e-com companies are not too happy with. The current rate of TCS is at 1%.PharmaOn the whole, GST is benefiting the pharma and healthcare industries. It will create a level playing field for generic drug makers, boost medical tourism and simplify the tax structure. If there is any concern whatsoever, then it relates to the pricing structure (as per latest news). The pharma sector is hoping for a tax respite as it will make affordable healthcare easier to access by all.TelecommunicationsIn the telecom sector, prices will come down after GST. Manufacturers will save on costs through efficient management of inventory and by consolidating their warehouses. Handset manufacturers will find it easier to sell their equipment as GST has negated the need to set up state-specific entities, and transfer stocks. The will also save up on logistics costs.TextileThe Indian textile industry provides employment to a large number of skilled and unskilled workers in the country. It contributes about 10% of the total annual export, and this value is likely to increase under GST. GST would affect the cotton value chain of the textile industry which is chosen by most small medium enterprises as it previously attracted zero central excise duty (under optional route).Real EstateThe real estate sector is one of the most pivotal sectors of the Indian economy, playing an important role in employment generation in India. The impact of GST on the real estate sector cannot be fully assessed as it largely depends on the tax rates. However, the sector will see substantial benefits from GST implementation, as it has brought to the industry much-required transparency and accountability.AgricultureThe agricultural sector is the largest contributing sector the overall Indian GDP. It covers around 16% of Indian GDP. One of the major issues faced by the agricultural sector is the transportation of agri-products across state lines all over India. GST will resolve the issue of transportation. FMCGThe FMCG sector is experiencing significant savings in logistics and distribution costs as the GST has eliminated the need for multiple sales depots. FreelancersFreelancing in India is still a nascent industry and the rules and regulations for this chaotic industry are still up in the air. But with GST, it will become much easier for freelancers to file their taxes as they can easily do it online. They are taxed as service providers, and the new tax structure has brought about coherence and accountability in this sector.AutomobilesThe automobile industry in India is a vast business producing a large number of cars annually, fueled mostly by the huge population of the country. Under the previous tax system, there were several taxes applicable to this sector like excise, VAT, sales tax, road tax, motor vehicle tax, registration duty which will be subsumed by GST.StartupsWith increased limits for registration, a DIY compliance model, tax credit on purchases, and a free flow of goods and services, the GST regime truly augurs well for the Indian startup scene. Previously, many Indian states had different VAT laws which were confusing for companies that have a pan-India presence, especially the e-com sector. All of this has changed under GST.

Accounting for Amalgamations in Aster Billing

Accounting for Amalgamations

Introduction

1. This standard deals with accounting for amalgamations and the treatment of any resultant goodwill or reserves. This Standard is directed principally to companies although some of its requirements also apply to financial statements of other enterprises.
2. This standard does not deal with cases of acquisitions which arise when there is a purchase by one company (referred to as the acquiring company) of the whole or part of the shares, or the whole or part of the assets, of another company (referred to as the acquired company) in consideration for payment in cash or by issue of shares or other securities in the acquiring company or partly in one form and partly in the other. The distinguishing feature of an acquisition is that the acquired company is not dissolved and its separate entity continues to exist.

Definitions

3. The following terms are used in this standard with the meanings specified:
(a) Amalgamation means an amalgamation pursuant to the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 or any other statute which may be applicable to companies and includes ‘merger’.
(b) Transferor company means the company which is amalgamated into another company.
(c) Transferee company means the company into which a transferor company is amalgamated.
(d) Reserve means the portion of earnings, receipts or other surplus of an enterprise (whether capital or revenue) appropriated by the management for a general or a specific purpose other than a provision for depreciation or diminution in the value of assets or for a known liability.
(e) Amalgamation in the nature of merger is an amalgamation which satisfies all the following conditions.
(i) All the assets and liabilities of the transferor company become, after amalgamation, the assets and liabilities of the transferee company.
(ii) Shareholders holding not less than 90% of the face value of the equity shares of the transferor company (other than the equity shares already held therein, immediately before the amalgamation, by the transferee company or its subsidiaries or their nominees) become equity shareholders of the transferee company by virtue of the amalgamation.
(iii) The consideration for the amalgamation receivable by those equity shareholders of the transferor company who agree to become equity shareholders of the transferee company is discharged by the transferee company wholly by the issue of equity shares in the transferee company, except that cash may be paid in respect of any fractional shares.
(iv) The business of the transferor company is intended to be carried on, after the amalgamation, by the transferee company.
(v) No adjustment is intended to be made to the book values of the assets and liabilities of the transferor company when they are incorporated in the financial statements of the transferee company except to ensure uniformity of accounting policies.

(f) Amalgamation in the nature of purchase is an amalgamation which does not satisfy any one or more of the conditions specified in sub-paragraph (e) above.
(g) Consideration for the amalgamation means the aggregate of the shares and other securities issued and the payment made in the form of cash or other assets by the transferee company to the shareholders of the transferor company.
(h) Fair value is the amount for which an asset could be exchanged between a knowledgeable, willing buyer and a knowledgeable, willing seller in an arm’s length transaction.
(i) Pooling of interests is a method of accounting for amalgamations the object of which is to account for the amalgamation as if the separate businesses of the amalgamating companies were intended to be continued by the transferee company. Accordingly, only minimal changes are made in aggregating the individual financial statements of the amalgamating companies.

Explanation

Types of Amalgamations

4. Generally speaking, amalgamations fall into two broad categories. In the first category are those amalgamations where there is a genuine pooling not merely of the assets and liabilities of the amalgamating companies but also of the shareholders’ interests and of the businesses of these companies. Such amalgamations are amalgamations which are in the nature of ‘merger’ and the accounting treatment of such amalgamations should ensure that the resultant figures of assets, liabilities, capital and reserves more or less represent the sum of the relevant figures of the amalgamating companies. In the second category are those amalgamations which are in effect a mode by which one company acquires another company and, as a consequence, the shareholders of the company which is acquired normally do not continue to have a proportionate share in the equity of the combined company, or the business of the company which is acquired is not intended to be continued. Such amalgamations are amalgamations in the nature of ‘purchase’.
5. An amalgamation is classified as an ‘amalgamation in the nature of merger’ when all the conditions listed in paragraph 3(e) are satisfied. There are, however, differing views regarding the nature of any further conditions that may apply. Some believe that, in addition to an exchange of equity shares, it is necessary that the shareholders of the transferor company obtain a substantial share in the transferee company even to the extent that it should not be possible to identify any one party as dominant therein. This belief is based in part on the view that the exchange of control of one company for an insignificant share in a larger company does not amount to a mutual sharing of risks and benefits.
6. Others believe that the substance of an amalgamation in the nature of merger is evidenced by meeting certain criteria regarding the relationship of the parties, such as the former independence of the amalgamating companies, the manner of their amalgamation, the absence of planned transactions that would undermine the effect of the amalgamation, and the continuing participation by the management of the transferor company in the management of the transferee company after the amalgamation.

Methods of Accounting for Amalgamations

7. There are two main methods of accounting for amalgamations:
(a) the pooling of interests method; and
(b) the purchase method.
8. The use of the pooling of interests method is confined to circumstances which meet the criteria referred to in paragraph 3(e) for an amalgamation in the nature of merger.
9. The object of the purchase method is to account for the amalgamation by applying the same principles as are applied in the normal purchase of assets. This method is used in accounting for amalgamations in the nature of purchase.
The Pooling of Interests Method
10. Under the pooling of interests method, the assets, liabilities and reserves of the transferor company are recorded by the transferee company at their existing carrying amounts (after making the adjustments required in paragraph 11).
11. If, at the time of the amalgamation, the transferor and the transferee companies have conflicting accounting policies, a uniform set of accounting policies is adopted following the amalgamation. The effects on the financial statements of any changes in accounting policies are reported in accordance with Accounting Standard (AS) 5, Net Profit or Loss for the Period, Prior Period Items and Changes in Accounting Policies.
The Purchase Method
12. Under the purchase method, the transferee company accounts for the amalgamation either by incorporating the assets and liabilities at their existing carrying amounts or by allocating the consideration to individual identifiable assets and liabilities of the transferor company on the basis of their fair values at the date of amalgamation. The identifiable assets and liabilities may include assets and liabilities not recorded in the financial statements of the transferor company.
13. Where assets and liabilities are restated on the basis of their fair values, the determination of fair values may be influenced by the intentions of the transferee company. For example, the transferee company may have a specialised use for an asset, which is not available to other potential buyers. The transferee company may intend to effect changes in the activities of the transferor company which necessitate the creation of specific provisions for the expected costs, e.g. planned employee termination and plant relocation costs.

Consideration

14. The consideration for the amalgamation may consist of securities, cash or other assets. In determining the value of the consideration, an assessment is made of the fair value of its elements. A variety of techniques is applied in arriving at fair value. For example, when the consideration includes securities, the value fixed by the statutory authorities may be taken to be the fair value. In case of other assets, the fair value may be determined by reference to the market value of the assets given up. Where the market value of the assets given up cannot be reliably assessed, such assets may be valued at their respective net book values.
15. Many amalgamations recognise that adjustments may have to be made to the consideration in the light of one or more future events. When the additional payment is probable and can reasonably be estimated at the date of amalgamation, it is included in the calculation of the consideration. In all other cases, the adjustment is recognised as soon as the amount is determinable [see Accounting Standard (AS) 4, Contingencies and Events Occurring After the Balance Sheet Date].

Treatment of Reserves on Amalgamation

16. If the amalgamation is an ‘amalgamation in the nature of merger’, the identity of the reserves is preserved and they appear in the financial statements of the transferee company in the same form in which they appeared in the financial statements of the transferor company. Thus, for example, the General Reserve of the transferor company becomes the General Reserve of the transferee company, the Capital Reserve of the transferor company becomes the Capital Reserve of the transferee company and the Revaluation Reserve of the transferor company becomes the Revaluation Reserve of the transferee company. As a result of preserving the identity, reserves which are available for distribution as dividend before the amalgamation would also be available for distribution as dividend after the amalgamation. The difference between the amount recorded as share capital issued (plus any additional consideration in the form of cash or other assets) and the amount of share capital of the transferor company is adjusted in reserves in the financial statements of the transferee company.
17. If the amalgamation is an ‘amalgamation in the nature of purchase’, the identity of the reserves, other than the statutory reserves dealt with in paragraph 18, is not preserved. The amount of the consideration is deducted from the value of the net assets of the transferor company acquired by the transferee company. If the result of the computation is negative, the difference is debited to goodwill arising on amalgamation and dealt with in the manner stated in paragraphs 19-20. If the result of the computation is positive, the difference is credited to Capital Reserve.
18. Certain reserves may have been created by the transferor company pursuant to the requirements of, or to avail of the benefits under, the Income-tax Act, 1961; for example, Development Allowance Reserve, or Investment Allowance Reserve. The Act requires that the identity of the reserves should be preserved for a specified period. Likewise, certain other reserves may have been created in the financial statements of the transferor company in terms of the requirements of other statutes. Though, normally, in an amalgamation in the nature of purchase, the identity of reserves is not preserved, an exception is made in respect of reserves of the aforesaid nature (referred to hereinafter as ‘statutory reserves’) and such reserves retain their identity in the financial statements of the transferee company in the same form in which they appeared in the financial statements of the transferor company, so long as their identity is required to be maintained to comply with the relevant statute. This exception is made only in those amalgamations where the requirements of the relevant statute for recording the statutory reserves in the books of the transferee company are complied with. In such cases the statutory reserves are recorded in the financial statements of the transferee company by a corresponding debit to a suitable account head (e.g., ‘Amalgamation Adjustment Reserve’) which is presented as a separate line item. When the identity of the statutory reserves is no longer required to be maintained, both the reserves and the aforesaid account are reversed.

Treatment of Goodwill Arising on Amalgamation

19. Goodwill arising on amalgamation represents a payment made in anticipation of future income and it is appropriate to treat it as an asset to be amortised to income on a systematic basis over its useful life. Due to the nature of goodwill, it is frequently difficult to estimate its useful life with reasonable certainty. Such estimation is, therefore, made on a prudent basis. Accordingly, it is considered appropriate to amortise goodwill over a period not exceeding five years unless a somewhat longer period can be justified.
20. Factors which may be considered in estimating the useful life of goodwill arising on amalgamation include:
(a) the foreseeable life of the business or industry;
(b) the effects of product obsolescence, changes in demand and other economic factors;
(c) the service life expectancies of key individuals or groups of employees;
(d) expected actions by competitors or potential competitors; and
(e) legal, regulatory or contractual provisions affecting the useful life.

Balance of Profit and Loss Account

21. In the case of an ‘amalgamation in the nature of merger’, the balance of the Profit and Loss Account appearing in the financial statements of the transferor company is aggregated with the corresponding balance appearing in the financial statements of the transferee company. Alternatively, it is transferred to the General Reserve, if any.
22. In the case of an ‘amalgamation in the nature of purchase’, the balance of the Profit and Loss Account appearing in the financial statements of the transferor company, whether debit or credit, loses its identity.

Treatment of Reserves Specified in A Scheme of Amalgamation

23. The scheme of amalgamation sanctioned under the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956 or any other statute may prescribe the treatment to be given to the reserves of the transferor company after its amalgamation. Where the treatment is so prescribed, the same is followed. In some cases, the scheme of amalgamation sanctioned under a statute may prescribe a different treatment to be given to the reserves of the transferor company after amalgamation as compared to the requirements of this Standard that would have been followed had no treatment been prescribed by the scheme.

In such cases, the following disclosures are made in the first financial statements following the amalgamation:
(a) A description of the accounting treatment given to the reserves and the reasons for following the treatment different from that prescribed in this Standard.
(b) Deviations in the accounting treatment given to the reserves as prescribed by the scheme of amalgamation sanctioned under the statute as compared to the requirements of this Standard that would have been followed had no treatment been prescribed by the scheme.
(c) The financial effect, if any, arising due to such deviation.

Disclosure

24. For all amalgamations, the following disclosures are considered appropriate in the first financial statements following the amalgamation:
(a) names and general nature of business of the amalgamating companies;
(b) effective date of amalgamation for accounting purposes;
(c) the method of accounting used to reflect the amalgamation; and
(d) particulars of the scheme sanctioned under a statute.
25. For amalgamations accounted for under the pooling of interests method, the following additional disclosures are considered appropriate in the first financial statements following the amalgamation:
(a) description and number of shares issued, together with the percentage of each company’s equity shares exchanged to effect the amalgamation;
(b) the amount of any difference between the consideration and the value of net identifiable assets acquired, and the treatment thereof.
26. For amalgamations accounted for under the purchase method, the following additional disclosures are considered appropriate in the first financial statements following the amalgamation:
(a) consideration for the amalgamation and a description of the consideration paid or contingently payable; and
(b) the amount of any difference between the consideration and the value of net identifiable assets acquired, and the treatment thereof including the period of amortisation of any goodwill arising on amalgamation.

Amalgamation after the Balance Sheet Date

27. When an amalgamation is effected after the balance sheet date but before the issuance of the financial statements of either party to the amalgamation, disclosure is made in accordance with AS 4, ‘Contingencies and Events Occurring After the Balance Sheet Date’, but the amalgamation is not incorporated in the financial statements. In certain circumstances, the amalgamation may also provide additional information affecting the financial statements themselves, for instance, by allowing the going concern assumption to be maintained.

Main Principles

28. An amalgamation may be either –
(a) an amalgamation in the nature of merger, or
(b) an amalgamation in the nature of purchase.
29. An amalgamation should be considered to be an amalgamation in the nature of merger when all the following conditions are satisfied:
(i) All the assets and liabilities of the transferor company become, after amalgamation, the assets and liabilities of the transferee company.
(ii) Shareholders holding not less than 90% of the face value of the equity shares of the transferor company (other than the equity shares already held therein, immediately before the amalgamation, by the transferee company or its subsidiaries or their nominees) become equity shareholders of the transferee company by virtue of the amalgamation.
(iii) The consideration for the amalgamation receivable by those equity shareholders of the transferor company who agree to become equity shareholders of the transferee company is discharged by the transferee company wholly by the issue of equity shares in the transferee company, except that cash may be paid in respect of any fractional shares.
(iv) The business of the transferor company is intended to be carried on, after the amalgamation, by the transferee company.
(v) No adjustment is intended to be made to the book values of the assets and liabilities of the transferor company when they are incorporated in the financial statements of the transferee company except to ensure uniformity of accounting policies.
30. An amalgamation should be considered to be an amalgamation in the nature of purchase, when any one or more of the conditions specified in paragraph 29 is not satisfied.
31. When an amalgamation is considered to be an amalgamation in the nature of merger, it should be accounted for under the pooling of interests method described in paragraphs 33–35.
32. When an amalgamation is considered to be an amalgamation in the nature of purchase, it should be accounted for under the purchase method described in paragraphs 36–39.
The Pooling of Interests Method
33. In preparing the transferee company’s financial statements, the assets, liabilities and reserves (whether capital or revenue or arising on revaluation) of the transferor company should be recorded at their existing carrying amounts and in the same form as at the date of the amalgamation. The balance of the Profit and Loss Account of the transferor company should be aggregated with the corresponding balance of the transferee company or transferred to the General Reserve, if any.
34. If, at the time of the amalgamation, the transferor and the transferee companies have conflicting accounting policies, a uniform set of accounting policies should be adopted following the amalgamation. The effects on the financial statements of any changes in accounting policies should be reported in accordance with Accounting Standard (AS) 5 Net Profit or Loss for the Period, Prior Period Items and Changes in Accounting Policies.
35. The difference between the amount recorded as share capital issued (plus any additional consideration in the form of cash or other assets) and the amount of share capital of the transferor company should be adjusted in reserves.

The Purchase Method

36. In preparing the transferee company’s financial statements, the assets and liabilities of the transferor company should be incorporated at their existing carrying amounts or, alternatively, the consideration should be allocated to individual identifiable assets and liabilities on the basis of their fair values at the date of amalgamation. The reserves (whether capital or revenue or arising on revaluation) of the transferor company, other than the statutory reserves, should not be included in the financial statements of the transferee company except as stated in paragraph 39.
37. Any excess of the amount of the consideration over the value of the net assets of the transferor company acquired by the transferee company should be recognised in the transferee company’s financial statements as goodwill arising on amalgamation. If the amount of the consideration is lower than the value of the net assets acquired, the difference should be treated as Capital Reserve.
38. The goodwill arising on amalgamation should be amortised to income on a systematic basis over its useful life. The amortisation period should not exceed five years unless a somewhat longer period can be justified.
39. Where the requirements of the relevant statute for recording the statutory reserves in the books of the transferee company are complied with, statutory reserves of the transferor company should be recorded in the financial statements of the transferee company. The corresponding debit should be given to a suitable account head (e.g., ‘Amalgamation Adjustment Reserve’) which should be presented as a separate line item. When the identity of the statutory reserves is no longer required to be maintained, both the reserves and the aforesaid account should be reversed.

Common Procedures

40. The consideration for the amalgamation should include any non- cash element at fair value. In case of issue of securities, the value fixed by the statutory authorities may be taken to be the fair value. In case of other assets, the fair value may be determined by reference to the market value of the assets given up. Where the market value of the assets given up cannot be reliably assessed, such assets may be valued at their respective net book values.
41. Where the scheme of amalgamation provides for an adjustment to the consideration contingent on one or more future events, the amount of the additional payment should be included in the consideration if payment is probable and a reasonable estimate of the amount can be made. In all other cases, the adjustment should be recognised as soon as the amount is determinable [see Accounting Standard (AS) 4, Contingencies and Events Occurring After the Balance Sheet Date].

Treatment of Reserves Specified in A Scheme of Amalgamation

42. Where the scheme of amalgamation sanctioned under a statute prescribes the treatment to be given to the reserves of the transferor company after amalgamation, the same should be followed. Where the scheme of amalgamation sanctioned under a statute prescribes a different treatment to be given to the reserves of the transferor company after amalgamation as compared to the requirements of this Standard that would have been followed had no treatment been prescribed by the scheme, the following disclosures should be made in the first financial statements following the amalgamation:
(a)A description of the accounting treatment given to the reserves and reasons for following the treatment different from that prescribed in this Standard.
(b)Deviations in the accounting treatment given to the reserves as prescribed by the scheme of amalgamation sanctioned under the statute as compared to the requirements of this Standard that would have been followed had no treatment been prescribed by the scheme.
(c)The financial effect, if any, arising due to such deviation.

Disclosure

43. For all amalgamations, the following disclosures should be made in the first financial statements following the amalgamation:(a) names and general nature of business of the amalgamating companies;(b) effective date of amalgamation for accounting purposes;(c) the method of accounting used to reflect the amalgamation; and(d) particulars of the scheme sanctioned under a statute.44. For amalgamations accounted for under the pooling of interests method, the following additional disclosures should be made in the first financial statements following the amalgamation:(a) description and number of shares issued, together with the percentage of each company’s equity shares exchanged to effect the amalgamation;(b) the amount of any difference between the consideration and the value of net identifiable assets acquired, and the treatment thereof.45. For amalgamations accounted for under the purchase method, the following additional disclosures should be made in the first financial statements following the amalgamation:(a) consideration for the amalgamation and a description of the consideration paid or contingently payable; and(b) the amount of any difference between the consideration and the value of net identifiable assets acquired, and the treatment thereof including the period of amortisation of any goodwill arising on amalgamation.Amalgamation after the Balance Sheet Date46. When an amalgamation is effected after the balance sheet date but before the issuance of the financial statements of either party to the amalgamation, disclosure should be made in accordance with AS 4, ‘Contingencies and Events Occurring After the Balance Sheet Date’, but the amalgamation should not be incorporated in the financial statements. In certain circumstances, the amalgamation may also provide additional information affecting the financial statements themselves, for instance, by allowing the going concern assumption to be maintained.